1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an insulative housing for a socket connector, which is used for connecting an electronic package, such as a central processing unit (CPU), with a circuit substrate, such as a print circuit board (PCB).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Socket connectors are widely used in electrically connecting a package and a PCB. Since the package must be seated in the socket connector in a certain orientation, otherwise the package will not normally work and the socket connector may be destroyed by package. In order to ensure the package is correctly placed in the socket connector, the package has cutouts, and a housing of the socket connector for receiving the package, correspondingly integrally forms a plurality of location keys to engage with the cutouts on the package. Examples for this kinds electrical connectors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,083,456, 6,908,316 and 6,164,980. However, the location keys are near to the passageways for the contacts, so the location keys may influence insertions of corresponding contacts. Furthermore, the location keys are integral with the housing and changeless in position, the socket connector only can receive one given type package.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,808 issued to Ma on Apr. 24, 2007 discloses an improved socket connector. The socket connector of Ma '848 comprises an insulative housing 10 defining a plurality of passageways 12 and two recessed areas 110 corresponding to two cutouts on the package, a plurality contacts and two detachable keys 16. After the contacts insert into the corresponding passageways 12, the detachable keys 16 are assembled to the insulative housing 10 by inserting into the recessed areas 110, and will not influence the assembly of the contacts. But the location keys 16 are separated from the insulative housing 10, so additional workings are needed to manufacture the location key 16 and assemble the locations keys 16 to the insulative housing 10, that will be time-consuming process and therefore increase the manufacturing cost.
Accordingly, a socket connector that solves the above problems is desirable. flint